Key (Francis Scott) Elementary vs King (Thomas Starr) Elementary

King (Thomas Starr) Elementary outranks Key (Francis Scott) Elementary by a significant margin in California state rankings — #123 versus #613 out of 9,533 schools — despite holding a 0.6-point overall rating edge, 9.3 to 8.7. That statewide gap tells a sharper story than the raw score difference suggests: King sits in the top 2% of all California elementary schools, while Key lands in the top 7%, itself a strong result but a meaningful step below its crosstown counterpart.

On academics, the two schools are close but flip positions depending on the metric. Key (Francis Scott) Elementary holds a narrow academic score lead, 9.2 versus King (Thomas Starr) Elementary's 8.9. Where King pulls decisively ahead is on growth — its 9.5 growth score outpaces Key's 8.8 by 0.7 points, indicating that King is moving students forward at a faster rate relative to their starting points. For families weighing current achievement against year-over-year momentum, that 0.7-point growth gap carries real weight.

The demographic and resource picture differs sharply. Key (Francis Scott) Elementary enrolls 562 students to King (Thomas Starr) Elementary's 335, and that size difference flows directly into classroom conditions: Key's student-teacher ratio is 24.4:1 against King's 16.8:1 — nearly eight additional students per teacher at Key. King also serves a higher share of economically disadvantaged students, with 40% qualifying for free or reduced lunch compared to 26% at Key. King's strong rankings achieved alongside that higher-need population make its growth score especially notable.

Both schools serve kindergarten through fifth grade, so grade-span is not a differentiating factor. The 5.6 miles separating them within San Francisco means neighborhood proximity will be a practical filter for many families before academic data enters the conversation. Parents who can access either school are choosing between Key's slightly stronger academic proficiency baseline and King's commanding statewide rank, faster growth trajectory, and considerably smaller class sizes.